9 best Montessori busy books to keep your little one entertained while learning

Every parent of toddlers and preschoolers covets the blessed sound of silence. And not like the scary oh-no-what-are-my-kids-doing-in-the-other-room silence. No, we mean the sound of your kids playing quietly (and safely), particularly when they’re working their little brains and doing something educational. That’s why moms and dads love Montessori-based busy books—made with soft, touchable (often washable!) fabrics, interactive pages with flaps that lift, pieces that move, snaps and buckles to snap together and take apart. Montessori busy books keep developing minds engaged and tiny hands busy, making them must-haves for homes (and cars and planes) where little ones might be.

What is a Montessori busy book?

Montessori busy books, also often called “quiet books,” are built around the overarching philosophy of Montessori learning—fostering student-led, hands-on, engaged learning. The Montessori ideal—as quoted by Maria Montessori herself—is all about letting kids direct their own learning, taking their experience in any direction that feels natural for them.

“It is the child’s way of learning. This is the path he follows. He learned everything without knowing he is learning it . . . treading always in the paths of joy and love.” —Maria Montessori 

Also, Montessori books might encourage “quiet” play, but they are quite interactive and involve busy little hands actively touching, experiencing and moving pieces around as they turn page after page.

Because they are so interactive and include activities like spinning the hands of a clock, buttoning buttons and zipping zippers, and also include soft, touchable fabrics like felt, cotton, and wool, Montessori busy books assist in the development of fine motor skills while also encouraging sensory play for young children.

Why are parents choosing busy books for toddlers over other types of books?

While books of all forms are valuable to a child’s developing mind, parents of toddlers and preschoolers are choosing Montessori busy books for their hands-on, interactive approach. While another children’s book will tell an imaginative story or simply encourage a child to point to the letter “A”, a Montessori busy book might have a letter “A” made of felt, attached by a string, that the child can lift off the page and move around, encouraging a much more interactive experience with learning letters. And then on the next page, they might find shoelaces to string through holes around the letter “A”, furthering their connection to the letter and also enhancing their fine motor skills.

Also, because they are so “busy” (hence the name) and have endless options for kids to engage with activities on each page, busy books for toddlers are more likely to lead to independent learning (i.e. keep a child “busy” while self-directing their own learning) for a longer period of time, and that’s why they fit the Montessori model.

What age are Montessori busy books best suited for?

Toddlers and preschoolers are the ideal age for these unique, interactive books that encourage self-directed learning. But babies can get in on the fun too, in a supervised setting. A true Montessori busy book will be made from soft, non-toxic materials, so babies can flip the pages and pull on all the pieces at an early age. Some Montessori busy books include buttons, snaps, and other types of moveable pieces, so just like any other toy, never leave a baby alone with one.

Here are our 10 favorite Montessori busy books to stock your book shelves, bring along on car rides and pack in your carry-ons before you embark on your next trip.

Our favorite Montessori busy books

Quiet Book Club

The Ultimate Quiet Book

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$36.95

This 10-page busy book includes 40 felt accessories to teach little ones about nature, gardening, animals, counting, colors, matching, and shapes. Each one is handmade and it comes in a case that zips closed so your little one can carry it themselves which makes it a great choice for airplane rides and road trips. And don’t worry about losing pieces. You can purchase replacements separately!

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Curious Columbus

Travel Themed Montessori Busy Book

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$36.99

Looking for a busy book about travel as you embark on your next trip? The Away We Go Activity Book has soft pages, removable pieces, 3-D pop-ups and features like buckles, ribbons and zippers to practice their dexterity. What’s more, the all around zip closure ensures pieces don’t fall out in transit. The brand offers an array of themes and replacement pieces as well.

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HarVow

Zipper Busy Book with Removable Learning Boards

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$24.89

Here’s another busy book that has a zipper enclosure to keep all pieces together. This one is unique in that each “page” is really a removable learning board that can be taken out, played with and put back into the book before moving on to the next section–a design we love for siblings or group play! A variety of buckles, snaps, buttons, laces, zippers and velcro allow them to practice their fine motor skills while they also learn letters, colors, shapes and numbers.

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MIKNEKE

4-Pack Montessori Quiet Books for Toddlers

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$37.99

Why have one Montessori busy book when you can have four? This set (which, full disclosure, does require a fair amount of velcro set up on your part) covers four different themes: animals, numbers, vegetables and traffic. Little ones can engross themselves in sticking the pieces into the scenes, matching silhouettes and colors, and even completing puzzles. The velcro spots are tiny, which makes it better suited for older kiddos with a more developed sense of hand-eye coordination.

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Géneric

Washable Montessori Busy Book for Toddlers

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$23.98

A good Montessori busy book enhances sensory play while helping a child develop their fine motor skills. But when it’s also washable like this rainbow 3-D cloth book?! Jackpot. The colorful felt pieces are perfectly sized for little hands and encourage motor skills and story telling.

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deMoca

Montessori Quiet Book for Toddlers with Zipper Bag

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$36.95

We love this durable busy book which focuses on skills like matching velcro colored shapes, practicing on buckle toys, telling time and other interactive activities for toddlers. It’s packed with engaging textures and features that encourage them to master real life skills like tying shoes and zipping jackets. And because each piece is tethered to the book, it’s a great option for on-the-go play as well.

 

 

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LAWADISIA

My Little World Montessori Educational Book

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$69.02

If you’re wanting a more hand-made style, this 16-page Montessori educational book called “My Little World” would be just the thing for the curious and busy toddler in your life. The thoughtfully detailed design features page after page of textures and activities to explore including pinning clothes to a clothesline, a lift the flap frog whose teeth they can brush, and a variety of counting games.

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CozyBookUS

Soft Montessori Activity Book

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$59.99

This soft activity book for toddlers includes 10 pages of fun and education that will teach your little one about brushing their teeth, tying their shoes and even cooking a meal. It’s sturdily constructed, making it a great option for even the most ham-handed littles. And since there’s flaps to lift, zippers to zip, felt pieces to arrange, as well as buckles, buttons and laces to tie, it does a fantastic job engaging even preschool-aged kids as well.

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SovushkaLittle

Educational Montessori Felt Book

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$85

The detail of these custom-designed busy books is just fantastic. The machine washable design can be made of 4-12 pages of your choosing. Each one features a variety of sensory exploration, and range from puzzles to camping scenes to a fun series of lift-the-flaps.

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